Keep Them Coming: Terpenes for your Pene

Kristen Thomas. // Photo by Nicole Bissey

“Just drink a glass of wine or two. It’ll help you relax,” says the OB/GYN.

“I can write you a script for the little blue pill if you want,” goes the urologist.

Far too many patients are pushed toward solutions to their intimacy woes that are socially acceptable or pharmacologically aligned. But drinking wine doesn’t make mommy more in the mood or less tense “down there.” Viagra and Cialis have their uses, yet many erectile function issues have more to do with stress or performance anxiety than blood flow issues.

Cannabis, both in the forms of THC and CBD, offers ways to treat a plethora of intimacy concerns. We are beyond the days of being able to say we need an Indica or a Sativa to achieve the anxiety-lowering, pain-reducing, body high we need. It’s all about the terpenes, baby.
Figuring out what your body needs will require both becoming educated and taking products for test runs.

“This is an incredibly individual experience,” Cannabis Educator and Coach Rose Hinsz says. Sometimes it’s not just how your body reacts, it’s about your mood and lifestyle.

“If you’re high stress, then an elevating experience can be challenging, or if you’re feeling sluggish then a chill terpene can be real hard to manage.”

“I wish people were open to learning more. A lot of the problems surrounding cannabis are that people aren’t knowledgeable. Having accessible information for people is what will turn the tide. Google is your friend.” says CannaDani, a budtender at Fresh Karma. But getting to know a dispensary and its staff can mean the difference between guessing and learning what will relieve pain, increase, or get you out of your head.

Budtenders are like bartenders. Some are there to make some bank, and some are there because they are invested in the industry and a career educating and helping.

Products like flower can vary from grower to grower, year to year. Formulated products like tinctures, salves, or lubes can be more consistent. The market for intimacy-specific items is limited, but there are a few products to consider. A quick search of Missouri’s available products on WeedMaps.com under “lubrication” yields one brand: High LOVR. Listed as an intimacy oil, sometimes budtenders and consumers get confused. Does it go inside or outside?

“I think what I’ve learned over the last 7 months with launching an intimacy oil, is that there is more education to be had. Don’t overthink it, it is lube,” says Jill College, founder of High LOVR. Her two products are in a fractionated coconut oil base, which stays clear and has no odor. There are two formulas: 100% THC and a 1:1 THC/CBD blend. Hinsz reminds users that you “always give the lube time to set/soak in.” High LOVR’s bottle recommends 10-60 minutes.

Search WeedMaps for “arousal” and you’ll find 1906 LOVE Drops. “They are pills that have cannabinoids (CBD & THC) as well as ashwagandha, theobromine, damiana, muira puama, catauba, which gives you a tingly body high,” said Jo’Z from Greenlight Dispensary. 1906’s website lists catauba as “the Viagra of the Amazon.”

What terpenes should people look for? Or avoid?

Everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different. So no one terpene is going to be good or bad. It’s just unique to individuals in some ways that their body reacts. College said the terpene blend was the most challenging part to get right for her products.
“For bodies who need more stimulation to engage in sex, Limonene is lovely. For those who need to chill to get into the vibe, linalool is nice,” Hinsz says.

CannaDani echoes Hinsz. “D-Limonene is one of my favorites. It gives all those bright smells of citrus and creates a euphoric feeling. That smell is also kinda calming, but for some, it can also be energizing in the right circumstances.”

Pinene is for reducing anxiety and increasing focus. “People can get in their heads during sex, so I think pinene would be a beneficial terpene for getting out of their head,” CannaDani says. Other terpenes for anxiety reduction include bisabolol, farnesene, and caryophyllene.

Pain during sex is a primary reason someone may choose THC or CBD lube versus over-the-counter products or a glass of wine. Terpenes like humulene, terpineol, ocimene, pinene, and caryophyllene are pain and inflammation reducers. Conditions such as vaginismus, vulvodynia, endometriosis, and orchialgia may find enough relief to be able to enjoy sex again.

Myrcene is one of the most common terpenes found in cannabis. It’s a bit of a sedative, may help with restless feelings, is great for pain and anxiety, and can induce euphoria. For some people, that’s exactly what their body and mind need to get into the moment. Other consumers will pass the fuck out before they even get a chance to get busy.

Terpenes each have unique scents. Some are quite citrusy, woody, or floral. When College was working on High LOVR, she says the scent was definitely at the forefront of her mind. “After sweating and everything, I didn’t want someone’s kitty to smell like weed!”

It’s not all fun and games

There’s some evidence that daily habitual use of cannabis can cause erectile function issues. This can often be linked to the delivery method, as in smoking combustible weed is still inhaling smoke, which can affect circulation. Circulation is the number one function associated with erection strength.

Jo’Z recommends that penis owners reduce daily use if they’re having ED issues. “A lot of habitual users use it to reduce mental or physical pain, so maybe there isn’t much time or benefit to reduce use. Go in and talk to your budtender to discuss the strains, what you’re looking for, and change things up from your usual use.”

Hinsz says overuse has several challenging side effects. Her first question for clients is whether they use the plant to tune in or tune out. “Depression can also follow high THC use, so balancing THB & CBD is an integral part of my approach to coaching.”

She also recommends that they try a tolerance break to reset their system. “They can switch up the ingestion method, as it can change how the receptors respond, and they can look at their use intent. The smallest perceivable dose for medical benefit is going to have a negligible effect where being phased most of the day can send the whole body into lethargy and low blood pressure,” Hinsz says.

From multiple sources, there’s clear pushback from some dispensaries who are scared of anything to do with sex and intimacy. Customers have enough of their own stigmas to overcome, such as believing they are less of a woman, their pussy is broken, or they are a failure if they can’t get their partner wet—all of which are completely untrue—before they even walk through the doors of a dispensary to ask if there’s anything that can help them.

If we want people to leave Big Pharma behind, the cannabis industry will need to adjust its attitude regarding sex, which is arguably a topic that is equally as taboo to discuss as weed for many people. CannaDani says to remember that “humans are made for pleasure,” and cannabis products can help you.

In the meantime, educate yourself. Read the terpene posters in the dispensary or find one at TheAmazingFlower.com. Start a journal and take pictures of labels when you find a strain that works well for you. Take a course from trichomeinstitute.com.
Say this mantra with me: Sexual health is whole person health. The cannabis industry has a role to play in improving many consumers’ sex lives, that is, if they can get over their own biases first.

You can find Kristen @OpenTheDoorsKC on Twitter or openthedoorscoaching.com. Check out her podcast Keep Them Coming.